Former Credit One Charleston Open champion Daria Kasatkina`s dominant 6-1, 6-1 victory over wild card Lauren Davis in the second round marked not only the beginning of her 2025 tournament campaign but also a significant new chapter in her career as she now represents Australia.
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Kasatkina had been competing as a neutral athlete since 2022, following the ban on Russian and Belarusian national representation due to the Ukraine invasion. Recently, she announced her permanent residency in Australia, choosing to compete under the Australian flag moving forward.
Leading up to Charleston, a tournament where she secured her first Hologic WTA Tour title in 2017, the No. 5 seed Kasatkina revealed that her sexual orientation played a crucial role in her decision. In 2023, the Russian government controversially labeled the `international LGBT movement` as `extremist`.
`Given the current situation in my home country, I felt I had limited options,` Kasatkina explained to Ben Rothenberg at Bounces. `As an openly gay woman, embracing my true identity necessitated this change.`
World No. 12 Kasatkina displayed exceptional form both on and off the court in her debut match as Australia`s top-ranked player, significantly ahead of Kimberly Birrell, the country`s No. 2 ranked at No. 62. She swiftly defeated Davis in just 61 minutes and charmed the crowd with her humor and relaxed demeanor during an on-court interview with Andrew Krasny.
`I couldn`t hide my smile, even though I felt some pre-match jitters,` she confessed to Krasny. `Stepping onto the court with a new status and flag was quite nerve-wracking. I carried a little bit of nervousness, which always disappears as soon as you start playing. I’m just really happy I managed to cope with it.`
Kasatkina`s smile widened as she received enthusiastic applause from the audience and a high-five from Krasny, expressing her gratitude for their support.
`It`s been a challenging couple of years, so standing here and feeling this way means a lot,` she concluded.
